Utility CyclingWant to haul groceries, beer, maybe even your kids? You don't have to live car free to put your bike to use as a workhorse. Here's the place to share and learn about the bicycle as a utility vehicle.

The bicycle co-op in Cleveland is working on some designs of trailers made from all recycled materials (well almost). The design uses the rear triangle from a couple low end BMX bikes and a spoked wheel as the plate form.

Interesting. So you want to make your own out of recycled materials? I don't know about your area, but there are plenty of used child trailers for very cheap in my area. Here they could be 'recycled' into a utility trailer with very little modification. Why re-invent the wheel? double-entendre intentional...

Interesting. So you want to make your own out of recycled materials? I don't know about your area, but there are plenty of used child trailers for very cheap in my area. Here they could be 'recycled' into a utility trailer with very little modification. Why re-invent the wheel? double-entendre intentional...

Because I'm a skinflint, and I already have a spare set of rigid MTB forks I can turn into a single-wheel trailer without spending money on it.

I have two trailers already, both converted child trailers... My wife and I don't need another really, but my son has no trailer, and we want to go bike camping in the spring.

My son however has no trailer and I do have a spare set of rigid MTB forks that I could turn into a single-wheel trailer easily.

From the bike co-op's perspective, we get a lot of donations that are low end department store bikes that may not have snowballs chance of being put back on the road as a bike. We also have lots of wheels that are trashed and end up getting sent to the scrap yard. Part of the idea is trying to put some of the things that end up as scrap metal, to a higher and better use.

I know that we get an occasional children's trailer donated, but those are a lot less common then department store bikes.

Thanks for the feed back here.
The goal here is to, as one person posted, use stuff that was being scrapped and keep it from getting to the land fill. The other idea is to make trailers with a higher payload capacity and more versatility. These designs are geared towards people who put their trailers to work. The basic front fork model has a 200 lb capacity, future models will haul up to 500 lbs. If you think that's too much go watch a pedicab operator. The carts are also built with the idea of being used as a wheel barrow in a garden, or farm to market application, or a shopping cart at the market. They can be fitted with bins to carry and even display produce and other items so they become the "fruit stand, knife sharpening station, bike repair shop, etc, when detached from the bike. Keep watching the blog for more information.

- Buy a copy of The Cart Book by William L. Sullivan ISBN 0-8306-0512-6 ~ $17 Amazon or Half.com Tubing cuter ~ $20. Tubing bender ~ $40 parts ~ $30 max and make kits for patrons to assemble and dodge the liability issues. Total investment: <$100 and you are providing people a chance to make something. Cost of cart parts <$30 plus salvaged wheels and no welding. I would bend out the frames as that takes a bit of practice and let them do the assembly. EMT is cheap so the practice isn't expensive and it can be scrounged by dumpster diving. A good hitch can be made from a castor wheel and IIFR the left half of an old school side pull brake. I have the link burred someplace and will edit this when I find it. This one is close but scroll down and look at the mock-up for the double caster: http://www.instructables.com/id/Buil...ailer-coupler/
Also ask for a copy of bamboo trailer plans here:http://www.carryfreedom.com/bamboo.html and check out their links. Also on Instructables there are a couple there like in The Cart Book.